The article deals with the psychological concept of “psychic trauma”, the author’s method of psychological assistance “Systemic formation of the life path of the individual”. Its consideration is proposed to be carried out on the basis of the “4D-existence of a person” model, which describes the relationship of a person with himself, the social world, the objective world and life activity. Psychic trauma is defined as a deformation of a person’s relationship with himself and the world. The types of deformation are considered: distortion, infringement, suppression, destruction, loss, initial absence. Diagnosis, verbal gathering of information about the client’s symptom is discussed.

The article deals with the problems of the formation of abilities, a constructive approach to their understanding and consideration of the structural content is proposed. As the initial elementary unit of the psychological content of cognitive capabilities, it is proposed to consider intellectual operations, and cognitive strategies as operational mechanisms. The author’s classification of cognitive acts is given. Specific ways of developing cognitive strategies within the framework of the author’s educational technology “Purposeful development of cognitive strategies” are considered. This approach is a matching of the cognitive and activity concepts of considering psychological phenomena.